Sa Kaeo: Sa Kaeo is investigating the disease after finding the first case of anthrax infection in the province. They are monitoring the risk groups. There are 7 butchers and 30 who ate raw meat. They are preparing a plan to vaccinate and give antibiotics.
According to Thai News Agency, public health officials, together with the provincial livestock department, investigated the first case of anthrax infection in Sa Kaeo Province. They inspected the buffalo pen of Mr. Wuttipong, aged 38, in Ban Khlong Phak Khom, who is the owner of the buffalo that spread the anthrax disease.
Authorities have ordered a complete ban on the movement of buffaloes and other pets out of the area and issued an order to quarantine animals for one month. If the culture results do not detect the disease, all animals will be vaccinated and given medicine. Samples will be collected from all three areas where the disease was found, and the buffalo pens and the area where the buffalo died in the eucalyptus forest will be sprayed.
Mr. Wuttipong, the owner of the buffalo that spread anthrax, stated that the sick individual had consumed meat from his buffalo before falling ill. The buffalo was killed before Songkran, around April 9, after being purchased from Kabin Buri District, Prachin Buri Province, without showing any symptoms of illness. The buffalo was killed due to its stubbornness and tendency to escape from the herd. It was shot in the middle of a eucalyptus forest, butchered, and sold in the area, with less than 50 people, mostly from Khlong Phak Khom village and nearby areas, purchasing the meat. Mr. Wuttipong expressed his willingness to cooperate with the provincial livestock office.
A joint meeting with the disease investigation team revealed that the patient with anthrax infection had been living in Tambon Tha Yaek for approximately five years. In the past six months, the patient had been employed to cut eucalyptus trees. On April 9, a buffalo was shot to death, its meat butchered, and the patient had eaten raw koi. However, none of the other individuals involved in the butchering or those who ate raw koi have become sick.
The disease investigation has not identified any suspected patients or history of exposure to the disease. Among the risk group are 7 butchers, 30 raw meat eaters, and 4 people who were in contact with the disease in the same household. Within a radius of 5 kilometers, 243 cows and 29 goats have been identified. There is a plan to inject vaccines and antibiotics in the risk areas today. So far, no animals have been found sick or died of the disease.